Trend in HIV-1 prevalence in an antenatal clinic in North Uganda and adjusted rates for the general female population

Abstract

To estimate HIV-1 prevalence among women attending an antenatal clinic in the Gulu District (North Uganda) and, based on these data, among the district's female population. Anonymous HIV-1 screening was performed for 8555 antenatal clinic attendees aged 15–39 years in the period 1993–1997. The results were used to estimate the prevalence among the district's female population, accounting for differences in fertility rates by HIV-1 serostatus. Among antenatal clinic attendees, HIV-1 prevalence showed a significant linear decrease (P P The trend of decrease among young women, for whom changes in HIV-1 prevalence more closely reflect incidence, could be partially due to a reduction in risk behaviour and a consequent decreasing incidence. Differences in fertility rates by HIV-1 serostatus should be addressed when using antenatal clinic data to estimate prevalence among the general female population.